


Witness Protection

by stardustedgirl



Category: MCU, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: BAMF Darcy Lewis, F/M, Orphans, Witness Protection Program, darcy loves kids okay, slow burn asf
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-25 05:42:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9804926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustedgirl/pseuds/stardustedgirl
Summary: Darcy wasn't expecting morning cuddles with a nine month old every day, cutting crusts off peanut butter and jellies before the bus came, or teaching a grown man how to braid because the eight year old who hated her guts loved him. In short, she wasn't expecting to be raising three kids with a someone who was supposed to be dead when she joined the witness protection program over a year ago. But then again, nothing ever goes the way Darcy expects them to.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dresupi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dresupi/gifts).



> A gift for the queen of quicktaser and my writing role model. A little something I've been working on for ages and never got around to posting :)) I'll do my best to update, but my schedule is hectic so I won't make any promises.

Leaning her elbows on her desk, Darcy released a rough exhale as she rubbed her temple. She’d been working witness protection for nearly a year and seen rough cases during that time, but this took the cake for the worst she’d been assigned. Three kids, eight, five, and nine months, left orphaned when Hydra had taken out their parents - an official in the department of federal defense and a socialite with enough social and political pull that she could tell people that the sky was green and they’d believe her.

Darcy flipped back to the front of the file in front of her, looking at the three pictures paper clipped there. She squeezed her eyes shut as the throbbing above her right eye intensified. Jesus, they were _kids_ , one of whom wasn’t even in school yet. Her heart gave a tight squeeze in her chest just thinking about it.

Coulson had called her into his office yesterday afternoon and slid the thick file across his desk without a word. When she opened it to see the pictures of three young, beaming children, her head snapped up and she gaped at him, aghast. “Their mother was a good friend of mine,” Coulson said in a quiet voice she was unused to. “You’re the best. You will create new identities for these three, yourself, and another agent.” His tone had hardened as he explained the case - Darcy’s stomach rolled just thinking about the gruesome facts.

The nanny had walked in with the oldest child to find Mr. and Mrs. Stanton brutally murdered in the kitchen of their home in a secluded neighborhood just outside D.C. She couldn’t even imagine what the oldest child, Lyra, was feeling.

It was a quick and dirty case as far as long-term assignments went. The plan was almost set; they had living arrangements waiting for them, and the other SHIELD agents were set in place. She needed to meet her partner and the children, and at the end of the week, go to their new home for the foreseeable future.

Hardersfield was a small town, somewhere in the middle of North Carolina. It was big enough you could see a new face when you were “in town”, as the locals said it, but small enough that most neighbors knew each other well. The people there had either grown up together or had become friends through plain old southern hospitality. It was the type of town her generation was running from - once you got sucked in, there was no escaping.

It was perfect for the anonymity they needed.

But, she was still waiting for the confirmation email about the house. While it had been easy to buy the four bedroom, southern style house, it was apparently a lot more difficult to furnish it while keeping three children in mind. As she took a moment to refresh her email, Darcy shook her head. The people she worked with could disarm a bomb in fifteen seconds or less but weren’t able to buy proper furniture for children.

As she gave the clock an annoyed look and her head gave another painful throb, Darcy leaned back in her chair. She would meet Lyra and Orion tomorrow to explain what was going on and what their future looked like as of now. She’d talk to them about the case, what she expected of them, and what they could expect in return. And, probably the hardest part, she’d give them their new identities. It made her a little sick to think about - she’d be stripping away what little they had left of their lives and giving them completely new ones.

_They were kids._

Standing up abruptly, Darcy gathered her things with quick efficiency and left her office, flicking off the lights as she did so. She stuck to the paperwork: getting new documents made, and writing up new lives, and making sure that when someone looked up her cases, all they found were those new lives. She was out of her depth, and it was already starting to wear on her.

She was expected to go into the field with some agent that she’s never met, and make sure their cover didn’t get blown. Her ego, which was preening because Coulson called her the best, was overshadowed by her constant, quiet freaking out. She was going to be parenting three kids, for christ sake!

Darcy’s pretty sure she’s developed an ulcer in two days.

She made her way through SHIELD’s hallways in silence, giving a tired grin to her favorite janitor as she stepped out of the elevator. Her ten minute commute from headquarters was spent in silence and she face plants into her bed when she gets home. She’s asleep in seconds.

\----

Whatever Darcy had imagined when she thought about meeting the kids, this was so much worse.

Lyra and Orion Stanton were undeniably related - you could see it in their dark eyes and in their faces, even if Orion’s hair was fair and his sister’s dark. They were dressed neatly and sat straight in the two chairs in front of her desk, clasping each other’s hand tightly but with matching stoic expressions. It made her stomach drop, and she swallowed hard as she spread out her documents.

“Hello,” she said at last, the corners of her mouth curving upwards. “I’m Darcy Lewis.” Orion’s eyes shot at once to his sister, who used her free hand to tuck a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “Hello,” she replied, in a steady voice. “I’m Lyra, and this is Orion. Are you the one in charge of what happens to us?” Darcy blinked owlishly in surprise, frowning slightly.

“I suppose so, yes, I’m heading the case, and I’ll also be living with you at your new location.” Darcy took a deep breath and steeled her spine before continuing. “The location will be in Hardersfield, North Carolina. This is where we will be living,” she paused to slid the picture across the desk. “As far as identities, as far as the rest of the world is concerned, I am your mother’s sister. With her recent passing, me and my husband have adopted the three of you and moved to a quiet town to rebuild after her death.”

She glanced up, pleased to see that neither child looked confused. She continued speaking. “I know that your mother named you all after constellations, so I continued the theme when choosing your new names. If you’d like me to change them, that is certainly possible. Lyra, you will be Cassiopeia. It’s a constellation named after a queen in Greek mythology.”

“Orion, you’ll be Leo, a constellation that’s part of the zodiacs. And Vela will be Maia, a star in Taurus. You all have fairly common middle names, so those will stay the same. We will be using the last name Carter, to create further distance between our true identities and the ones we will be taking on.”

“We’ll be meeting my partner at 6:00 am sharp on Friday and from there be flown to the nearest airport and drive to Hardersfield. The house has already been equipped with all we will be needing for the first week at least, and if you want, I will be able to gather a few of your personal items to bring with us. Do you have any questions?”

Darcy noticed that Orion’s white-knuckled grip on his sister’s hand had loosened during the conversation, and she gave him a gentle smile when he looked up. “We’re going to stay together, right?” he asked. “For as long as possible, yes, you three will stay together,” Darcy replied, nodding her head once.

“Can I have a piece of paper and a pen?” Lyra asked, gently wiggling her hand from Orion’s when Darcy offered the items. The girl spent the next few minutes jotting things down on the paper while Darcy explained protocol - specifically what they _couldn’t_ do once they were undercover. When she handed it back, the paper had three short lists - one for herself, one for Orion, and the last for Vela. A quick scan told her that they were things they would want from the house, and Darcy forced herself to keep the swell of sympathy in check.

“I’ll personally make sure that all of these things come with us,” she promised the brunette with a firm smile. Lyra didn’t smile, but some the tightness by her eyes relaxed so Darcy counted it as a win. A quick alert flashed on her phone, and a quick glance at her watch told Darcy that their time was up. “I’m sorry to end our time together, but I’m afraid I must. I’ll walk you back,” she said, standing and gesturing towards the door as the children did too.

As he passed, Orion gave her a long look and then reached out to grasp her hand lightly. He walked between her and Lyra, whose expression had gone hard once again. “I’ll see you on Friday morning,” she promised them as they buckled themselves into the SHIELD car, giving them another small smile as she shut the door.

Going back to her desk like nothing had happened was the hardest thing Darcy had ever done. There was a roaring fury in her, aimed towards Hydra and how they had destroyed those children’s lives. As she settled at her desk, she made a silent vow to do whatever she had to in order to give them a chance at life.

\----

Mornings were not necessarily Darcy’s forte, but somehow the nine-month-old cuddling up to her made the early hour tolerable. Vela - Maia - had her face tucked against Darcy’s neck, chubby hands firmly twisted in the fabric of her jacket. Lyra had a firm grasp on Orion’s hand once again, the duo staring at the door with trepidation from their spot on the couch. Darcy couldn’t blame them - they were waiting on her unknown partner to arrive, and from there they would head to the airport.

Coulson had texted her five minutes ago with their ETA, and should be arriving any second. Darcy admittedly was a little nervous, standing in the living room of a safe house. She would be meeting her partner for the first time, and when they left to make the drive to the airport, they would have to act as if they’d been in a committed relationship with one another for years.

It was daunting, to say the least.

She’s startled out of her thoughts by three short taps on the door, followed by two longer ones. Shifting Maia so that she could open the door, Darcy headed out of the kitchen to the front door. As she opened it, she gave Coulson a wane smile and stepped aside as he and her partner made their way inside.

As far as first impressions went, there was definitely something captivating about the man. It was probably that he was uttering something, presumably curses from the tone of his voice, in a language she was unfamiliar with. “Excuse me,” she cut in shortly when the man’s voice began to increase in volume, “but I’m going to need you to lower your voice before you wake the baby.”

She’d never seen someone’s head snap around so fast, and it was nearly amusing when paired with his slack jaw. “Baby?” he snapped, tone somewhere between offended and disbelief. There’s something familiar about his face, and when he starts speaking in short, harsh whispers with Coulson, does she click the pieces together. It’s probably the blonde hair that really tips her off.

Pietro Maximoff is supposed to be dead.

It was easy enough to erase him from the media and public memory, but she knew what happened in Sokovia that day. Pietro Maximoff had been shot numerous time protecting Clint Barton and the child he was shielding. She knew what had happened to Wanda in the aftermath of that, she had walked through it all with her. And yet, here he was, standing before her and muttering furiously under his breath - apparently outdone by whatever Coulson had said to him.

It’s a shame that her first thought is to text her friend and ask her what the hell is going on, but then Maia stirs in her sleep, so Darcy’s attention is shifted.

“Have you been prepped?” Darcy asks as she rubs Maia’s back soothingly, relieved when the baby settled back against her neck once again.

“Yes, a moment ago,” he said, and she gave him a saccharine sweet smile and forced down her annoyance at his snippy tone. “Well then, let’s have formal introductions then. I’m Darcy Lewis - Carter from now on, and this is the youngest - Vela - we’re calling her Maia. Orion and Lyra - Leo and Cassie - are in the living room.” With that, she turned on her heel and made her way back to the kitchen.

“Leo, Cassie, come meet Pietro,” she calls as she gathers up the diaper bag and her purse. “My name’s not Cassie,” the brunette girl grouches as she enters the kitchen, followed by her brother. “Don’t be that way,” he says pleadingly to his sibling, and Coulson gives her a look when he walks in.

Darcy can already feel another headache forming - and they haven’t even attempted to fly with three children yet. Pietro is leaning against the counter, frowning back at the children who are staring at him with skeptical looks. “Pietro, this is Leo and Cassie. Kids, this is Pietro. You can call him that if you’d like, just like you can call me Darcy.”

Uneasy silence fell over the group and Darcy forced a cheerful smile. “Alrighty, if you’ll grab your stuff we can head out,” she said, watching as they shuffled away. “I assume your stuff is the car?” she asked, turning back to Pietro. He didn’t answer but jerked his head in some equivalent of a nod, so Darcy took it at that. She passed Maia off to Coulson silently to put her suitcase into the trunk.

Once the children were loaded up, Coulson gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “If there’s anyone who can pull this off, it’s you, Lewis. I have faith. You know how to contact me if you need too,” he told her firmly, returning her grateful smile with a miniscule one of his own. She’d already been given the full rundown of agents who had been implemented in Hardersfield, and where the panic buttons had been installed in the house. All that was left was to get there, something easier to say than do

Pietro drove like a normal human being, something that surprised Darcy considering his powers, but maybe he was just being considerate to the sleeping baby in the back seat. She dared to reach out to grab his shoulder when they’re parked in the airport parking lot, silently sliding over a silver wedding band. Pietro stared at it for a moment, glancing up at her after a beat.

“We’re supposed to be married,” she offered with a shrug, already sliding on her own silver wedding band and a pretty three-stone engagement ring. Darcy didn’t make sure he had put it on, but as she settled a mumbling Maia into the sling strapped to her chest, she glimpsed silver on his finger while he helped Leo and Cassie out of the car.

There was tenseness as they entered the airport, but after making it through check in and security fairly quickly and with no complications, Darcy was feeling good. Until Maia started to wail.

“She probably needs a change,” she said imploringly to Pietro, narrowing her eyes when he shrugged. “Probably,” he agreed. “I’ll watch them,” he added when she stood and hesitated. Darcy smiled thankfully and headed to the bathroom.

Darcy had young cousins, so she knew her way around a changing table but when she settled the now screaming baby on the table, Darcy nearly startled bawling too. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she chanted over and over to Maia as she struggled to get the child out of her clothes. She managed to get the child out of her soiled diaper, cleaned up, and into a new one with no crying on her part, breathing out a sigh of relief when Maia blinked teary eyes up at her and pouted.

Darcy had just put Maia back into her clothes when a middle aged woman tapped her on the shoulder. “I noticed you were having a hard time - is she your first?” Darcy pushed her hair away, feigning a loss for words. “It’s a little… complicated,” she said, wiping her hands with a baby wipe. “She’s my youngest though, yeah.”

The woman smiled kindly as Darcy tossed the wipe and lifted Maia to give her a cuddle. “I wanted to tell you we’ve all been there. Just keep trying, you’ll get the hang of this mom thing eventually, and I’m sure you’ll be great when you do.” Darcy was truly at a loss for words then and nodded mutely as Maia tucked in close to her neck.

“Thank you,” she managed as the woman gave her another smile and left the restroom. Releasing a breath, she rested her cheek against Maia’s downy head and took a moment to collect herself and settle Maia back into the sling before she gathered up the diaper bag and headed back to Pietro. When she got there, Leo was sitting next to him, listening intently to whatever it was the blonde man was saying. Cassie was engrossed in a book a seat away.

Pietro looked up as she approached, a smile curving across his face. “All good now?” he asked, standing up as she reached them. “She quieted down once she was changed,” she agreed, going stock still as he reached for the baby. “That’s great,” he said, pecking her on the cheek and giving her a pinch when a shocked expression crossed her face. She jolted and returned the gesture of affection carefully, thankful when the call for boarding came through the intercom.

“That’s us,” she said cheerfully, helping Leo with his carry on and gathering up Maia’s diaper bag. Pietro invaded her space once more to tuck Maia into her sling, arching a brow as he lowered his forehead against her’s. “Sell this thing, Lewis,” he whispered sharply. “We’ve been married for at least a year, and we’re pulling together to raise your dead sister’s three kids. Get it together.”

She reached up to rest her palm against his jaw, moving her thumb against his cheek. “I’ll let you handle diaper changes then,” she retorted quietly, grinning sweetly at his cross expression. “We’ll figure out semantics of this when we get to Hardersfield, until then, let’s focus on getting there - capiche?”

With that she pulled away, faking a shy smile and turning her attention back to the older two. “Cassie do you have everything?” The girl frowned at her, shrugging her backpack higher onto her shoulders but remained silent. “Okay then, Leo, how about you?” The boy was holding Pietro’s hand and nodded up at her. “Yeah.”

After double checking they had everything, the agent ushered the makeshift family onto the plane and with no more hassle, they got into the air. It was a short flight, an hour at most, but with Maia’s warmth on her chest and the general exhaustion of getting to this point, the woman dozed off. Darcy was woken by a gentle shake and she lifted her head from Pietro’s shoulder blearily, a little dazed by the affectionate smile on his face.

“Good morning, sleepy head,” Pietro whispered, reaching over to brush a strand of hair away from her face. “We’re about to start the landing process,” he added as she blinked away her nap. “Oh,” she replied, resting a hand against Maia’s back as she sat up. Darcy took a moment to look behind her at Cassie and Leo, the latter of which gave her a little wave. “They’re doing well,” she commented to Pietro as she straightened.

“I would expect so, with - well, you know,” he responded easily, running a hand through his disheveled hair. Darcy didn’t respond, and within the hour the four were walking towards a white SUV in the airport parking lot. “Alright kiddos, in you go. Cassie, you can take the back,” Pietro said in a surprisingly chipper tone of voice as he opened the door for them.

The girl gave him a stern look before turning away and clambering inside without a word, to which Leo gave a heavy exhale about. “I promise she’s pretty cool,” he told Pietro somberly, getting in as Darcy strapped Maia’s car seat to the other seat. She exchanged a look with Pietro as he helped Leo click his seat belt into place, already clicking Maia’s multiple straps together.

“So this is going well,” she murmured to Pietro as they loaded baggage into the trunk, mindful of Cassie sitting in front of them. “Do you blame her?” he asked quietly. “She’s lost nearly her whole life in a matter of two weeks, it’s not going to be easy for her to just pack up and live a new life.” Darcy nodded mutely as he closed the trunk, heading to the driver’s seat.

“I hate it here,” Cassie blurted from the backseat as soon as Darcy and Pietro’s doors were shut. “You haven’t even given it a chance, Cass,” Darcy tried, clicking her seat belt into place. “Don’t call me that, my name is _Cassie_ ,” the little girl said scathingly. “If you’re going to give me a new name, at least use it.”

“Cassie,” Pietro broke in, “maybe we should give it a few days? I know it’s a little warm, but maybe you’ll like the house?” Cassie glared but fell silent, crossing her arms and looking out the window. Darcy leaned her head back against the seat as Pietro maneuvered out of the airport parking lot and began the hour drive to Hardersfield.

It seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, and by the time they were driving through “town”, Darcy was more than ready to get out of the public eye. Already she had seen curious looks from pedestrians, and she could only imagine what they were saying. “Alright you two, the house is already set up and your items are waiting for you in your rooms,” she explained when they finally pulled into the driveway of their house.

Without waiting for a response, she headed for Maia’s side as Pietro helped Cassie and Leo out of the car. With the baby and the diaper bag secured to her person, she headed for the front door to let the impatient duo inside. “I’ll be right out when I get the baby settled,” Darcy called over her shoulder as she headed inside.

The interior of the house was beautiful - a mixture of modern and homey comfort that was the perfect image of a family of four. Darcy snorted as she settled Maia - now awake and gurgling as she looked around curiously - into the playpen in the living room. “I’ll be back soon baby girl,” she cooed to the blue eyed baby, passing Pietro as she went.

Once everything was inside, Darcy left the baby under Pietro’s care and took to exploring the house. Cassie’s bedroom door was closed, but Leo was already setting up his bedroom, and Maia’s nursery was well stocked with whatever they would need. There was a bathroom in the hallway, and one connected the master bedroom - which was an entirely different story.

As far as Darcy knew, there was supposed to be an office space or guest room for her partner to stay in. It soon became obvious, however, that that was not the case. It was a beautiful room, done up in neutrals and with a large bed, but it left her feeling a little awkward. Sure, she was an adult, and she’d spent plenty of nights sharing a bed with friends - Jane was as at home in Darcy’s bed as she was in her own, Wanda was gradually getting to same place as Jane, Natasha had spent a few nights there, and on one memorable occasion, she’d ended up with Erik cuddling her like an octopus.

But this was very much different. Until today, she’d thought Pietro Maximoff was dead. And more than that, when he wasn’t swearing or sulking, Pietro was _very_ attractive. “You’re a grown ass woman,” she told herself as she turned towards the door. “You’ve shared a bed with the goddamn Black Widow and lived to tell the tale, you can do anything.”

With her will strengthened, she headed downstairs to start something resembling dinner, only to stop short at the bottom of the stairs. Pietro had already taken it upon himself to cook, standing at the stove with Maia on his hip. “Easy there, _malo zvezda_ ,” he laughed as the baby began to insistently pat him. “It’ll be ready soon,” he called over his shoulder, startling Darcy.

He turned, taking in her wide-eyed look with a smirk. “It’s not polite to stare,” he added, apparently unphased by Maia’s cuddling closer. The baby gave her a beaming smile from her spot tucked against the man before tipping her head back to gurgle at Pietro. “I know,” he agreed to her babbling as he stirred something in the pot.

“I’m gonna... unpack,” Darcy said, blinking a few times at the attractive sight before her. “You do that,” he agreed in a tone that suggested he was poking fun at her. Without another word, the brunette agent made her way back to the bedroom and fell back against the bedspread.

Darcy wasn’t foolish enough to think raising three children would not take a toll on her. In fact, she wasn’t foolish enough to think that the sight of Pietro Maximoff holding a baby wouldn't stir up feelings in even the strongest of women. “Easy there, Darce,” she mumbled to herself as she sat up. “You're just tired, that's all. Just met some time to settle in, that's all.” Reassured, Darcy began to unpack - being mindful to leave space for Pietro.

**Author's Note:**

> malo zvezda - little star


End file.
